Dan Gosling's feeling the heat on USA tour

DAN GOSLING admits Newcastle United are feeling the heat on their tour of the US – but feels that a victory tomorrow night against Orlando City can help chill out the black-and-whites at the Citrus Bowl.

DAN GOSLING admits Newcastle United are feeling the heat on their tour of the US – but feels that a victory tomorrow night against Orlando City can help chill out the black-and-whites at the Citrus Bowl.

And Gosling says it is all par for the course as he prepares to show the Toon Army exactly what he can do on Tyneside.

He told the Chronicle from Orlando today: “Hopefully, this is a big season for me, and I’ll get off to a good start.

“I’ve had a few minutes now, and I’m feeling stronger and stronger as we go on, and I’m sure all the lads are feeling the benefits as we go on.

“I’ll keep working hard in training through the week. We’ve got two more tough games, and after a few more back in England, we should be ready for the Premier League season.”

Gosling endured a whack in the head which needed four stitches in only his second game back after a recurrence of his knee injury.

The Devon-born former Everton midfielder was patched up and sent back out to battle against Sporting Kansas City, and managed to put in a 62-minute shift for the Magpies in the States.

The temperature is slightly cooler here in Orlando at 80 degrees, however, the tour is proving to be a bit of an endurance test.

Gosling said: “It was very tough in Kansas – all the lads felt the heat as soon as we walked out.

“We knew what we were coming into – they’re a very fit side, and technically, they were very good.

“It was a very good test, and what we needed.”

And looking back on his injury scare when he clashed heads early in the game, Gosling says: “It took about 10 minutes before I got a nice welcome to the game in a clash of heads.

“It took four stitches, but it was a quick turnaround, and I managed to get back on the pitch and play the rest of the first half and 15 minutes of the second.

“I had a shot on the edge of the box when I probably should have got a bit closer, but you can’t look back at all those chances.”